Tunneling and Underground Mining

Code:

MEMG0004

Acronym:

LOS

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
CNAEF	Extractive industries

Instance: 2019/2020 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Mining Engineering Department
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Mining and Geo-Environmental Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MEMG	8	Plano de estudos oficial a partir de 2008/09	1	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Succeeding the curricular unit of Rock Mass Exploitation, this new course unit will, to a certain extent, embody a way of deepening some subject matters taught in the previous course unit. It will be more focused on the application in underground mining. Thus, the curricular contents of Mining Explotation Methods will be resumed, being given special emphasis to the methods which are nowadays most used. Also analysed within the course, are issues such as the mechanisation of mining operations (determinants of the phenomena, historical evolution of equipments, current equipments, advantages and disadvantages of mining intensive mechanisation), as well as its impact in the selection of explotation methods and the panoply of methods currently used. There is a growing tendency to use tunnels to solve countless road and railway traffic problems, thus this will be a subject matter which will be thorough developed, mainly concerning the current methods of excavation, equipments used, surrounding ground of excavation sites and implementation of subsidiary mining operations, being given an emphasis to ventilation, drainage and sewage. Additionally, methods and technologies applicable to cavern excavation for multiple purposes, will also be studied. Still in close relation to explotation methods topic,  new and old well drilling  technologies in well drilling (extraction and ventilation), ramps and chimneys opening, will be approached.  The use of explosives wihin the above mentioned purposes is a subject matter which will also be resumed, due to the specificity of the excavations and the reflection on the design and implementation of blasts layouts. Despite time constraints, conceptual issues, practical and legal aspects related to management of rock excavation (in the broad sense) and the organizational safety culture, will be presented and taught as thoroughly as possible.

Learning outcomes and competences

To provide students with theoretical knowledge and practical competencies to engage in natural resources underground explotation projects, comprising safe, ty requirements, effective use of resources and environmental concerns.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

n.a.

Program

Introduction the curricular unit
Case study: S. José mine in Copiapó, Chile
Mineral/Ore concepts (Clark)
Mineral (ore) bodies valorization stages
Ore bodies geometry
Explotation fields
Mining exploation management: planning
Undergound mining explotation methods
concept of explotation method;
classification of the methods and characterization of the most important ones currently applied: selection of an explotation method:Long walls

• Room and pillar
• Shrinkage Stoping
• Cut and Fill
• Sublevel Stoping
• Block Caving
• Sublevel Caving
• Long Hole Stoping

Tunneling excavation blasting layouts
Chimneys and wells opening
Rock masses excavation
Cavern openings

Drilling equipment:
Explosive handling equipment
Loading and removal equipment
Industrial explosives; types, application devices, technologies

Support and consolidation of underground excavation
Subsidence monitoring instruments
Anchoring and rock bolting
Shotcrete.
Auxiliary activities: 
Ventilation, lightning, mining sewage, compressed air and surveying.
Legal framework on occupational safety and hygiene in undergound mining.
Regulations and mandatory framework:
Mining plans for underground explotations
Environmental impact assessment studies

 

Mandatory literature

Carlos López Jimeno - Emilio López Jimeno - Pilar García Bermúdez; MANUAL DE VOLADURAS EN TÚNELES, Escola de Minas de Madrid
Carlos López Jimeno - Emilio López Jimeno - Pilar García Bermúdez; Manual de Túneles y Obras Subterráneas, Escola de Minas de Madrid
Galabru, P.; ; Cimentaciones y Túneles, Editorial Reverté, S.A. Barcelona, 1970
H.Miranda; Ventilação de Túneis, 2006
U. Langefors and B. Kihlstrom; Rock Blasting

Teaching methods and learning activities

Classes will take place mainly in the classroom and essentially expositive lessons.

Classes for group-work, with the support of teachers will be available.

Two field classes are planned:
one to Atlas Copco Portugal company;
and another to a excavation work site in progress.

Software

O-Pitblast

keywords

Technological sciences

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Defesa pública de dissertação, de relatório de projeto ou estágio, ou de tese	20,00
Teste	40,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Estudo autónomo	80,00
Trabalho escrito	26,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

75% of attendance to classes.
minimum attendance level is required to take the appeal exam.

Calculation formula of final grade

Distributed Evaluation components:

1-Assessment Test to be held during the semester - Weight in Final Grade - 40%

2 - Monograph to be undertaken in groups of up to two students - Weight in Final Grade - 60%.

The second component of the Distributed Evaluation is composed of two "outputs":

A Report and an Oral Presentation of 20 minutes.

All Students holding minimum attendance rate, but not approved in the Distributed Evaluation, should undertake the Appeal Exam.
In this case, the Final Grade = 100% Appeal Exam grade.

.

Examinations or Special Assignments

According to the FEUP regulations

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

 According to the FEUP regulations

Classification improvement

At the Appeal Exam